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The Acquisition of New Word Formation Processes in Second Language Acquisition

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 November 2008

Elite Olshtain
Elite Olshtain
Affiliation:
Tel Aviv University
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Abstract

This paper focuses on the acquisition of new word formation devices in the target language as an indication of near-native competence at the advanced level of second language acquisition. The study reported here is based on data collected via written questionnaires consisting of three parts: (a) a production task requiring respondents to suggest innovations for nouns that have not been named in the existing lexicon; (b) an evaluation task requiring respondents to select the most appropriate innovation; (c) an interpretation task requiring respondents to interpret innovative blends. The questionnaires were administered to native speakers of Hebrew (the target language) and to two groups of learners, one advanced and the other intermediate. The findings show that the advanced group has reached a level of target language competence that enables them to produce and evaluate innovations in ways that approximate native speakers' responses, whereas the intermediate students deviate considerably from target level competence. The acquisition of word formation devices in the target language is presented as a gradual acquisition process.

Type
Articles
Information
Studies in Second Language Acquisition , Volume 9 , Issue 2 , June 1987 , pp. 221 - 231
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1987

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References

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